Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1887-01-13

w;.h the old loves and hopes and am
bit,ons. She came back to him from
her far-off plsce-the gentle wife he hae:
loved SO long AID well. and who had
been gone from him for so many silent
years. He forgot the changes and dis
appointments of the empty years since.
and dreamed the old dreams. Mean
time. Minna dreamed also. sitting be-
side him; dreamed her young dream
of to-day; how she would sing to some
purpose, at last. and how perhaps some
manager would hear her-she had
heard of Rachel-and she would be
chosen of fortune and beloved Of fate
in the future; but, first of all, she
would be able to help. in the present
this dear father of hers, and turn the
dark days bright.
And SO the hours wore on. ard night
drew nigh. She gave her father some
becf-tea. and for her own supper she
made bit Of bread do duty. And at
last the twilight fell-the long summer
twilight, that always seems so much
longer in London than anywhere else
And seeing her father drcwsily in
clined, she asked Kim if she might 60
out for breath of fresh air. Had he
been less sleepy he would have beca
surprised at this SO unusual request;
but as it was he gave his consent, and,
having cXacted a parting promise from
the landlady to look after him now
and then. Minna Breydcl started out
to test. for the first time. the uncertain
humor of the world. Once out of tho
door, her heart began to fa.a her. How
should she. how could she. raise her
voice to sing-she, who had grown up
in the shade, and had never. in all her
life. sung for any other listener than
her father? But from the very
thought of that father she must gath
er courage. What joy it would be to
help him!
Some impulse urged her to get quite
away from home, and beyond the
probability of meeting any familiar
faces before she began. She wan
dered on ana on. until she came near
Kensington Gardens. Once or twice
she was about to lift up her voice. and
was deferred by some gaze which
seemed to her curious or impertinent.
She paused. at length. before pleas
ant house where were frequent musical
gatherings in a quiet street of Kensing-
ton. The drawing-room windows were
open. and their soft. white curtains
stirred with the soft breath of the
evening. Who might be behind IT, Dse
curtains? What fate for her did they
vail?
A star had risen and looked down at
her from the far-off summer sky-her
star. she thought. shining with hope.
They must be music-lOvcrs in the
house, for some one struck, with the
touch of a master, few chords on a
piano. as If to illustrate something that
was said. With the sound Minna's
courage rose, and she broke the follow
ing silence with an uncertain note.
Then her voice grew stronger, and she
sang:
"Why weep re by the tide. ladiel
Why weep We by the tide?
Ill wed yc to nv youngest son.
And we sail be his bride:
And We sail be his bride, ludie,
Sac cOmely to he seen
But aye she loot the tears down Ia
For Jock OF HaZeldean.'
The tender sweetness of her voice
seemed like a part of the gentle dusk.
The low wind stirring the leaves, the
white wings scarcely NOV
ing across the blue, the faint breath of
tic dew-wet roses, all belonged to her,
and she and they were as one. Behind
the white curtains two men listened
good comrades, who had been talking
OF pleasant plans and pleasant
'.Hark!' cried one of them. THAT
beautiful! 1t is the soul of
the twilight
And then both men listened quietly
till the song was over. There was a
silence-and then, moved
by a sudden impulse, the girl be-
gan to sing that other song which
Richard Wagner had written for
her father-that song "of wonder and
hope" full of present joy and future
promise. Soft as love itself the voice
as hope it climbed
toward heaven. The men heard it.
and one of them-the one who had
spoken before-reached out and
grasped his comrades hand.
''Listen! listen"' he whispered, and
the two seemed hardly to breathe until
the song was over. Then suddenly the
elder of the two sprang from his seat,
almost threw himself down the stairs
in his hurry, and stood before Minna
BreydeL
"Who are you?' he cried. Il wrote
that song-I. 1t was printed never
1t was my gift to my hearts friend,
when we were young together. Who
are you-Whor'
..Minna Breydel," the girl answered,
gently.
And your father-he is Hans Brey-
icl?'
'.And I. girl, / am his friend of
youth am Richard Wagner. made
the song that you have sung-L l
have lost him for many years-my
friend of youth. Is he. perhaps,
lead? Why are you here-you alone
singing the song of youth and of
Ovc-the song that was sacred to him
and me-in the streets of London?
Ach Himmel! he is dead"
mo. but he is ill-has been i'll long |
ill and poor; and we had no more |
INV ,,,npov- on1 oop,a ort RI Give -,